Day Wise Itinerary
Leh -2 nights
Step off the plane and into our care with an easy transfer to the Grand Dragon hotel, the highest ‘star luxury’ hotel in the world. Take it easy. Acclimatise to the high altitude. In the morning you’ll begin your exploration of the mountain kingdom, a land of stunning beauty on the rooftop of the world.
Experience:- Curl up on the couch in your spacious room, sip fragrant tea and gaze at the magnificent views of the Leh palace and Shanti stupa. Take an evening stroll around the winding lanes of the town bazaar. Shop for pashmina shawls to keep you warm in the chill of the night. Look up in wonder at the two-storey ‘future Buddha’ Maitreya statue, gleaming in gold at the Thickse monastery. After a day spent admiring human endeavour exploring the monasteries of the Indus Valley, watch nature at her finest, as the sun sets on the Stok Palace and the beautiful gardens blaze in the golden light.
Alchi -1 nights
After breakfast, settle back and enjoy the view as we journey through the mountains to the Uletokpo camp resort, situated in leafy apricot orchards, where you’ll spend the night. A day of discovering ancient treasures and natural wonders awaits.
Experience: Do you trust your eyes? Is it a trick or is it magic? Watch a car defy the laws of gravity at the ‘Magnetic Hill’. Walk in the shadow of history at the Basgo gompa where invading Mongolian and Tibetan armies were held in check during a three-year siege. Lose count of the thousands of miniature pictures of the Buddha at the Alchi gompa, unique in the region for not being on a hill top.
Leh -1 nights
Wake up with the sun after sleeping soundly in camp. After a hearty breakfast it’s time to get back on the road to discover the ancient holy sites of the region. See the oldest shrine in Ladakh at Lamayuru, admire the soaring views over the valley from its perch in the hills. Return to a warm welcome at the Grand Dragon hotel.
Experience: Find out why Ladakh gets its nickname the ‘Moonland’ when you visit the ancient monastery of Lamayuru. Imagine the solitude of the hermit monks of Rizong monastery, the most isolated in Ladakh, known as a paradise for meditation. Pay respect to the nuns of the Chulichan who live brutally hard lives supporting the monks in the monastery above.
Nubra -1 nights
An early start means an exciting day with rare adventure at every turn. After a delicious breakfast, sit back, soak up the views and let us do the driving on the 5602m high road to Nubra.
Experience: Cross the sands of time when you book a double-hump Bactrian camel ride through the snow-white sand dunes of the Nubra Valley. Feel the dizzying thrill of driving across the world’s highest road at the Khardungla Pass, feel safe in our experienced hands. Spend the night in a traditional yurt. Look up at the velvet sky studded with a thousand twinkling stars.
Leh -1 nights
A day of travel back across the Khardungla Pass to Leh and one last night in luxury at the Grand Dragon. Enjoy breakfast surrounded by apricot and apple trees at the camp. Spend the evening shopping for souvenirs in the bazaar. Savour your last day in this extraordinary place.
Experience: Get the chance to take all those photographs you didn’t take because you were so busy marvelling at the view crossing the Khardungla Pass. Take time to see the Jo Khang Gompa in Leh to admire its crowned Buddha Munch on fresh-baked bread with local honey and cheese at the market. See the towering minarets of the 17th century Jama Masjid Mosque, admire its intricate stone carvings.
Leh
Time to say goodbye and leave this magical kingdom after a final breakfast and an assisted departure to the airport.